Automatic train-stop.



H. G. SEDGWIGK. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1907.

900,215, 7 Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

, WITED $TATES' PATENT-OFFICE,-

HIRAM SEDGWICK, 0F MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC rnantsror.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM G. SEDGWICK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Mill Valley, county of Marin, State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Train-Stops, of which the following is a full and clearspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in whichy Figure 1 is a plan View of the switch box with the. cover removed; andFig.2 a Vertical sectional view of the switch box'showing the cover inplace.

This invention has relation to that class of automatic train-stoppingapparatus in which the roadbed is divided up into blocks and the trainas it proceeds along the road prempts each block as it enters the same.One type of suchsystems is shown in my patent dated September 3, 1907,'andnumbered 864,866. In these systems when a train attempts to enter apreempted zone or block suitable current collectors on the locomotivecomplete a circuit including a brake magnet and this magnet actuates thebrakeapplying mechanisi The object of the present improvement is toprovide a manually-controlled device in the cab so that the engineercan, when so ordered, disrupt the brake-applying circuit and render thesame inoperative and thus permit his train to enter the preempted block,and to so safeguard this entering of a preempted block that an engineercannot pass into the, same Without that factbeing indelibly recordedbythe apparatus and thus permit the responsibility to be. located.

All automatic train-stopping systems to be practicable must facilitatethe movement of trains, and-at times it becomes absolutelyimperatiye'for a train to enter a preempted block; for instance,awrecking train must enter the block preempted by the wrecked train;again long freight trains become stalled on up grades and a'followingtrain must often assist the stalled train up over the grade; and again,where trafiic is congested on double track roads it is very necessary attimes to run fast trains around slow trains 'moving in thesame'direction, this being done by special telegra hie orders to therear train to switch 0 on the left-hand track and. train. In t eseinstances and in others it is necessary that a following train shallSpecification of Letters Patents Applicatitgn filed September 4, 1907.Serial No. 391,366.

ass around the slow inovin have the ability to pass into a preemptedblock but at the same time it 'is essential that some-indelible andabsolutely positive means be provided for'registering this fact.

I prefer embodying my invention "in a small box-which may be placed inthe cab of the locomotive within reach of t-heeng'i Patented Oct. 6,1908.

neer. I prefer so constructing it that the circuit shall be normallyclosed and can only be held open by the actual application of the handof the engineer so that when the hand of the engineer is removed thecircuit will be automatically closed again, thus preventingforgetfulness on the part of the engineer from'rendering his automaticbrake-applying mechanism inoperative. I prefer locating the device insuch position in the cab that the engineer shall be put to more or lessdiscomfort in actuating it so as to thereby insure its prompt releasefrom his hand after hedhas passed the stopping point on the roadbeReferring to the drawings by referencecharacters, a designates thebrake-magnet circuit, in one branch of which isincluded a pair of springcontact-fingers I) which are inclosed in a box 0 and which bear upon a.metallic plate (Z carried on the periphery of a cylinder ofinsulatingmaterial c, said cylinder being mounted on the shaft fjournaled in the end walls of the box and projecting at one end thereofand provided with a hand wheel g.' By rotating the shaft j by means ofthe Wheel 9 it will be observed that one of the fingers b will passoff/the contact plate and thus break the operating circuit, and toautomatically return the shaft to its normal position when the wheel isreleased I employ a suitable coiled spring h. To limit the movement ofthe rock shaft f I attach thereto a radial arm 2' 'which, normally restsagainst a pin 1 and strikes against a compan ion pin Z on the oppositeside of the shaft and thus limits the rotation of theshaft.

I fasten to the inner face of the cover on is provided as usual with aradial arm 0 which projects in close proximity to the shaft f. Fastenedto the shaft f is a cam 32 which, when the shaft is rotated, strikes thearm 0 and causes the movement of the shaft to berecorded. It will beobvious that the cam and the arm shall be so proportioned and' of thebox a suitable recorder or whose shaft positioned that registration willtake place '5 before the circuit is broken at the contacts so that itwill be impossible to disrupt the brake-applying circuit withoutregistering when released, and a registering device opthat fact. ,eratedevery time the circuit is broken, for Havin thus fully described myinvention, the purpose setfoith.

what I c aim and desire to secure by Letters In testimony whereof Ihereunto a-fiix my 5' Patent, is signature in the presence of twowitnesses 15 In a train-stopping apparatus embodying this 27 day ofAugustl907.

a brake-applying c1rcuit,a circuivbreaker in Y HIRAM G. SEDGW IOK.@saudpircult and means for manually-operat- Witnesses: It, means forautomatically resto the S. H. ROBERTS, iascircuit breaker to normallyclosed position HENRIETTA ROBERTS.

